KANJI: JI toki (time, hour)

ASCII Art Representation:

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Character Etymology:

Suprizingly obscure from the oft taught mnemonic of "telling time by the sun on the temple."

Originally written showing the ancient radical for sun next to the ancient radical for stop, possibly having a meaning such as "end of the day" and thus symbolizing the passage of time. However at some point the radical that represented stop became confused and replaced with the radical that represents a growing plant and at a later stage even this was represented with the radical which represents temple.

Temple was probably used photonetically to express move but also lended connotations of regularity. Thus, regular movement of the sun, in effect, time. Hour is an associated meaning.

A Listing of All On-Yomi and Kun-Yomi Readings:

on-yomi: JI
kun-yomi: toki -doki

Nanori Readings:

Nanori: to togi

English Definitions:

1. JI: hour, o'clock, time; Buddhist sect originating in the thirteenth century.
2. toki: time, hour, moment; occasion; season; oppertunity; the times; tense.
3. toki(meku): prosper, florish, be influential; prosperous, influential.
4. toki(naranu): unseasonable, untimely; sudden, unexpected.
5. toki(tama): occasionally.
6. toki(shimo), toki(shimoare): just then.
7. -ji: time, period.

Character Index Numbers:

New Nelson: 2462
Henshall: 135

Unicode Encoded Version:

時

Unicode Encoded Compound Examples:

九時 (kuji): nine o'clock.
時時 / 時々 (tokidoki): sometimes.
時間外 (jikangai): late; overtime; outside of hours.

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